Apparatus for forming an article



I Feb. 5, 1935. c. M. VILLANYI 1,989,724

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AN ARTICLE Filed Feb. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1. I 20 l l l g 2,

INVENTOR. CHAPLES M. V/LLANYI,

BY Y

M, 12mm a W ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 5, 1935. c. M. VILLANYI APPARATUS FOR FORMING AN ARTICLE Filed Feb. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m4 Ii INVENTOR. CHAQLES M V/LLANYI,

"M, M E W.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FORWNG AN ARTICLE Application February 12, 1931, Serial No. 515,355

'13 Claims.

This invention relates to novel methods of forming moldable products, improved apparatus for the practice of such methods, and the novel articles as produced by the practice of such methods and the use of such apparatus.

It is an object of the invention to teach a method which may be practiced by relatively unskilled labor and with maximum efficiency so that articles may be commercially produced with minimum expense.

A further object of the invention is that of providing an apparatus of rugged and simple construction, which apparatus will efficiently follow and perform the steps of the method herein taught.

A still further object is that of providing an article produced by the use of such method and apparatus, and which article will possess functionally and structurally improved characteristics.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheets of drawings, illustrating practical embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a partly sectional side elevation of an apparatus by means of which the present method may be practiced and showing the same in initial condition;

Figs. 2 to 5 are views similar to Fig. 1, but illus- 30 trating the successive steps or movements which the apparatus follows in practicing the present method;

Fig. 6 is a partly sectional side elevation of the finished article resulting from such steps;

3 Figs. '7 and 8 are sectional views taken along the lines '77 and 8-8 and in the direction of the arrows of Figs. 4 and 5 respectively;

Fig. 9 shows the apparatus modified to produce an article of slightly different type from that 40 shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a layout of apparatm slightly different from that illustrated in the preceding view;

Figs. 11 to 15 inclusive show the apparatus of 45 Fig. 10 in its movements through the entire cycle of operation;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of one of the parts as shown in Fig. 10, and

Fig. 17 is a transverse sectional view taken along th lines 1'l--l7 and in the direction of the arrows of Fig. 10.

According to the present invention, it is proposed to provide an article from material of the type known as bakelite. More specifically stated, it is primarily intended to furnish an article in the nature of a closure such as may be employed in connection with bottles, flasks, etc. However, it will be understood that the present invention may in certain aspects be employed in other associations Without departing from the spirit thereof.

However, viewing the invention in its more specific light, it is well appreciated that in providing a closure of a material such as bakelite, it is desirable and in certain instances necessary to associate therewith a cushioning or sealing element such as for example cork, although of course, rubber and plugs of other suitable materials might be substituted for the cork. It is not difiicult to secure the plug or disk against movement with respect to the body of the closure (i. e. bakelite mass) but the problem exists of maintaining these parts in association. This has been an extremely difficult matter and the main objection to this class of closure has been that after the parts have been removed a number of times from a receptacle with consequent incidental strains, the sealing or cushioning portion 'detaches or tears loose from the molded body of the closure thus rendering the entire article unfit for further use. By the present invention, this difiiculty has been overcome'and an additional advantage is derived that the entire manufacturing cycle may be speeded up. According to one aspect of the invention, the body formed of bakelite or similar material is provided with projecting and/ or recessed portions with which the sealing body is associated in such manner that a 'subsequent accidental detachment of these parts is virtually precluded. Such a construction of the moldable body may occur by for example undercutting portions of the same to provide parts thereof in the form of projections or recesses.

Thus, referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 20 indicates a, plunger which moves through a bushing 21, the latter cooperating in the embodiment un der consideration with a base in the form of a cup 22. In the given example, the apparatus for projecting and retracting the plunger and bushing and relatively moving these parts has not been shown. Likewise, the anchoring foundation for the cup-like base has not been illustrated. Preferably, the plunger and bushing are moved by hydraulic pressure apparatus and the cup 22 is supported upon a bed or platfrom in proper association with the apparatus. Also, the mechanism will preferably include anywhere up to hundreds of units of the nature shown in Fig. 1, all of which are conveniently simultaneously operated.

By means of a suitable distributing mechanism (not shown), preforms 23 are disposed one in each of the cup dies 22. These preforms preferably comprise a body formed under pressure from a mixture of formaldehyde, phenol resin and wood flour or a similar product. As is well known, they have the characteristic of being transformed under pressure and in the presence of suitable heat into a substance corresponding or similar to bakelite. The end of the plunger 20 has an extension 24 in the outer face of which indentations 25 may appear. The side edges of the extension are undercut as at 26. The indentations may for example take a form, which provides a series of concentric ribs as shown at 27 in Fig. 8. The parts of the recess of the die 22 may likewise have recesses therein as indicated at 27 in Fig. '7, these, recesses being cut to provide for example indicia or ornamentation of any desired type, and finally as will be seen in Fig. '7, the side walls of the cup-die recess are.

ribbed or corrugated as at' 29 and as shown in Fig. 1 may preferably be flared outwardly toa slight degree.

7 By. means of the operating mechanism, the bushings 21 together with the plunger are lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2 so that a sealed chamber is provided within which the preform rests. The plunger of course has a sliding fit with the bushing, and at this time, it will be noted that the bushing may be flared upwardly and outwardly while the head of the plunger is tapered inwardly and upwardly, the purpose of this construction being hereinafter brought out. With the bushing in sealing contact with respect to the die, the plunger is forced homeunder approximately two thousand pounds pressure. The die has been heated to for example two hundred fifty degrees F. by any suitable means and thus the preform has its physical structure transformed in addition to molding into the space defined between the units of the apparatus.

A certain amount of the material will necessarily extrude upwardly between the bushing and plunger and will form a ring encircling the latter. The value of the taper and flared constructions will now be apparent for the reason that such extrusion will cause no binding of the parts. This excess material will collect in the form of rings on the plunger and may conveniently be periodically removed.

Due to the undercut construction of the edges 26,v the plunger and bushing in moving upwardly to the positions shown in Fig. 4 will carry with them the formed article which now comprises a cap having a central undercut recess and a cor-- rugated outer edge together with a shallow flange portion 30 if the plunger, bushing and die be formed with this in View. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4, a release of the formed article is effected by simply withdrawing the plunger slightly from within the bushing. This will occur without mutilation to the undercut recessed portions of the cap for the reason that as is well known, molded phenol products have the characteristic of pliability until they age (approximately'two to three minutes) Therefore, if the stripping action occurs within a few seconds after the operation illustrated in Fig. 3, no injury of mutilation will result to the article beingformed.

This article now receives, as shown in Fig. 6, a plug or stopper 31 of, for example, cork, and a layer of cement or similar materialand which is preferably water proof-is flowed into the recess prior to the application of the plug or stopper. As a consequence, a keying structure is formed which absolutely precludes a forcible withdrawal of the plug from the cap. Due to the series of. grooves formed by the ribs 27, sidewise strains are compensated for, the other strains being evenly counteracted by the keying structure aforenamed.

Also, due to the corrugated structure shown at 29, a firm grip may be secured on the edge of the cap so that a forcible turning of the latter is practicable particularly if the stopper has been wedged home in the mouth of a receptacle or if the contents of the latter have'caused an adhesion between the stopper and receptacle mouth.

In certain instances, it may be desired to have a structure other than an undercut recess in the cap. With this in mind, the plunger may be formed as shown in Fig. 9 with a series of recesses 31' which in the figure under consideration extends 'circumferentially. These recesses serve as a substitute for the undercut flange of the previously described article. Also, if desired, the article may be formed with a centrally extending stud or prong 32 by simply recessing the plunger in a corresponding manner. Thus, it is. feasible to apply to this cap a stopper having a central bore within whichthe prong comes to lie. A cementlike mixture being flowed in position, the stopper or plug will be keyed into the plug so that the advantages heretofore mentioned as accruing to an article of this nature will be present in an article produced by the use of apparatus such as shown in Fig. 9.

In certain instances, it may be desired to dis pense with the cup device of the nature shown at 22. If this is the case, the base 33 illustrated in Fig. 10 may have preform receiving zones defined upon its upper face as for example by a series of indentations 34. These provide in the example given indicia or lines of ornamentation. Of course, they might be entirely dispensed with if desired, but usually in an article of this nature, some such expedient is resorted to. The plunger 35 is practically identical with the plunger 20, but the bushing 36 has an outwardly flared recess 37 which in the illustrated embodiment comprises two surfaces, the inner of which is ribbed or corrugated as at 38.

By suitable distributing mechanism, the preforms are disposed in position upon the base. The latter is heated in any desired manner. Thereafter, the bushing and plunger are brought to the position shown in Fig. 11 so as to provide a structure enclosing the preform. The bushing now remains stationary, and the plunger is advanced as shown in Fig. 12, and the preform is molded into shape and its body adopts the characteristics of a bakelite-like material. The products of extrusion are disposed of in the same manner as heretofore exemplified, and the bushing and plunger are retracted to the position shown in Fig. 13 carrying with them the formed article. The plunger is now retracted, but due to the cohesion which will exist between the article and bushing, these parts remain in association. While the plunger may be withdrawn without mutilation, it may not again be forced into position, and therefore, as shown in Fig. 15, if it is new advanced, the articles will be expelled from the bushings to be received as was the case in Fig.-

5 upon a platform or plate 39, interposed for this purpose.

Thus, among othersthe several objects of the invention as specifically afore indicated are achieved. It is obvious that the present invention is not necessarily restricted to use in connection with a closure or cap, although it is primarily intended for employment in this connection. Nu-

merous changes in construction and rearrangement of the apparatus and steps in the method can be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An aparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensions, a bushing slidably encircling and being in contact with said plunger throughout a limited zone, a separate base to receive a preform and with which said plunger and bushing are to cooperate, and at least one of said first named elements being flared with respect to the second of the same and immediately beyond said zone of contact whereby to permit of an escape of the products of extrusion between the same.

2. An apparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensions, a bushing slidably encircling and being in contact with said plunger throughout a limited zone, a separate base to receive a. preform and with which said plunger and bushing are to cooperate, said plunger being tapered to extend away from the face of said bushing whereby a space of increasing cross sectional area is provided between said plunger and bushing for the escape of extrusion products,

3. An apparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensions, a bushing slidably encircling and being in contact with said plunger throughout a limited zone, a separate base to receive a preform and with which said plunger and bushing are to cooperate, said bushing being flared to extend away from said plunger whereby a space of increasing cross sectional area is defined between said plunger and bushing for the escape of extrusion products.

l. An apparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensiom, a bushing slidably encircling and being in contact with said plunger throughout a limited zone, a separate base to receive a preform and with which said plunger and bushing are to cooperate, said plunger being tapered and said bushing being flared to immediately extend away from each other whereby a space of increasing cross sectional area is provided between the bodies of these elements and for the escape of extrusion prodnets.

5. An apparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensions, a bushing slidably encircling and being in contact with said plunger throughout a limited zone, a separate base to receive a preform and with which said plunger and bushing are tocooperate, said plunger being formed with an extended portion, and at least a part of the latter being relatively recessed.

6. An apparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensions, a bushing slidably encircling and being in contact with said plunger throughout a limited zone, a separate base to receive a preform and with which said plunger and bushing are to cooperate, said plunger being formed with an extended portion, and the side walls of said extended portion being undercut whereby the preform will key around the same.

7. An apparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensions, a bushing slidably encircling and being in contact with said plunger throughout a limited zone, a separate base to receive a preform and with which said plunger and bushing are to cooperate, said plunger being formed with an extended portion, and said extended portion being formed with at least one recess within which the material of said preform will key.

8. An apparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensions, a bushing slidably encircling and being in contact with said plunger throughout a limited zone, a separate base to receive a preform and with which said plunger and bushing are to cooperate, said plunger being formed with an extended portion, and the outer face of said plunger being formed with indentations into which the material of said preform will key.

9. An apparatus of the character described including a plunger of fixed dimensions, a bushing encircling said plunger, a base to receive a preform and with which said plunger and bushing are to cooperate, said base comprising a cup die having its face formed with indentations to correspondingly form the article being molded.

10. An apparatus of the character described, including, in combination, a plunger, a bushing slidably disposed adjacent the outer end of said plunger, the end of said plunger being undercut to form a corresponding recess in a mass of moldable material contacted by said plunger, and said bushing being proiectable with respect to said plunger to strip said material from said plunger.

11. An apparatus of the character described, including in combination, a projectable plunger having a relatively recessed portionin its side face and adjacent its outer end, whereby to correspondingly shape a mass of material contacted by said plunger, and a bushing slidably disposed adjacent the end of said plunger, said plunger being retractable with respect to said bushing, whereby to strip said material from said plunger.

12. An apparatus of the character described, including in combination a plunger, a bushing slidably encircling the same, a base to receive material to be molded, said base, bushing and plunger being formed with surfaces for cooperation with said moldable material, said bushing and plunger being projectable towards said base, said plunger being projectable with respect to said bushing to engage the material supported by said base and to mold therefrom in cooperation with the faces of said bushing and base an article, said plunger and bushing being retractable to withdraw said article from said base and said bushing being subsequently projectable to strip the article from said plunger.

13. An apparatus of the character described, including in combination a plunger, a bushing slidably encircling the same, a base to receive material to be molded, said base, bushing and plunger being formed with surfaces for cooperation with said moldable material, said bushing and plunger being projectable towards said base, said plunger being projectable with respect to said bushing to engage the material supported by said base and to mold therefrom in cooperation with the faces of said bushing and base an article, said plunger and bushing being retractable to withdraw said article from said base and said bushing being subsequently projectable to strip the article from said plunger, and said plunger being subsequently projectable with respect to the bushing to strip the article from the latter.

CHARLES M. VILLANYI. 

